Staphylococcal infections in newborn infants. I. Study of an epidemic among infants and nursing mothers.

Abstract

An outbreak of staphylococcal infections of infants and nursing mothers and the resultant epidemiologic investigation are described. Accepted methods of routine prophylaxis of skin infection in the newborn nursery are re-evaluated. Control of the epidemic was quickly achieved through the routine prophylactic administration of erythromycin to all infants in the nursery. No erythromycin-resistant strains of coagulase-positive staphylococci emerged as the result of this method of epidemic control. There were no untoward reactions to the antibiotic among 463 infants who received erythromycin prophylaxis.